Punctuate

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpʌŋktjuːeɪt/

Definitions

1. To insert punctuation marks into text to clarify meaning ; to cause interruption or pauses within speech or writing ; to emphasize something by inserting breaks or interruptions
2. To place commas, periods, or other punctuation within sentences to aid comprehension ; to intermittently break or interrupt a flow of words or discourse ; to draw attention to parts of a statement by punctuating with pauses or breaks
3. To mark text with proper signs such as commas and periods to separate ideas ; to break speech or text into parts with interruptions or pauses ; to highlight or stress certain elements by punctuating interruptions

Etymology: The most surprising link here is with "punch." Both words descend from the Latin verb "pungere," meaning "to prick," so the blunt act of striking and the careful act of marking a page with dots are cousins. "Punctuate" came into English from Medieval Latin "punctuatus," itself built from "punctus," a point or dot, which gave the sense of marking writing with points. The original job was literal. Early punctuation was a system of dots placed to show readers where to pause, and the word described the act of inserting those marks. Over time the meaning widened from marking the page to breaking up any stretch of speech or text with pauses or interruptions, as when a speaker punctuates a story with laughter. From there it took on a figurative sense: to emphasise certain elements by setting them off with interruptions. A speaker who punctuates a point with a pause or a gesture is using the same principle the medieval scribes used with their dots, placing marks so that the important parts stand out.

Synonyms: emphasize, highlight, accentuate, mark, stress

Antonyms: ignore, overlook, neglect, dismiss, minimize